Equator D8 Experience

Ben Randolph

Ben Randolph

Power User
I just took possession of a pair of Equator D8 nearfield monitors. I'm primarily a home player, so I was looking for a nice pair of nearfield monitors to amplify the AxeFX II that would give a true representation of the AxeFX II's capabilities as well as not break the bank.

I've been using a pair of Atomic FRFR tube cabinets for about four years now. They sound superb, but unfortunately both of them developed problems within weeks of each other, and so both are in the shop now with no ETA for a fix at this time. I have a pair of Sennheiser Pro 280 headphones which sound great with the AxeFX II, but I didn't relish playing through headphones for an extended period of time.

I decided that I needed a pair of nearfield monitors for mixing anyway, so now was as good a time as any to look for a pair. I play 99% of the time at my computer desk, so nearfields seemed ideal for my playing situation. I picked up a pair of KRK Rokit 5s and they quickly went back to Guitar Center. After playing through my Atomics, I've grown attuned to the tonal spectrum of the AxeFX II and could tell that the KRKs were lacking in that high end sparkle, chime and had muddy and indistinct mids. I decided it was time for something a bit higher end.

There was high praise for the Equator D5s on this forum, but looking at my studio the room is fairly large so I decided to go for the larger D8s. I have to say I'm very impressed by these monitors. They do a fantastic job of giving a true representation of the AxeFX II. As a bonus, they don't have the exaggerated low end that my Atomics have; just tight bass, clear mids and highs. For 750 USD I couldn't be happier. Equator offers a 60 day unconditional money back guarantee, but these monitors aren't going anywhere.
 
I really want to get a set of those, but my main use for them is to take to rehearsal or jam session type stuff & I'm afraid they will get damaged in transit. I'm still leaning toward the Mackie DLM8, but I'm sure the Equators are better sounding monitors.
 
I'm kind of curious about these. I currently have a pair of Active CLR wedges that are out of this world but I think they're overkill for my needs. I'm a home player and I've been considering downsizing mostly to free up some coin for some other purchases.
 
awdwon said:
I'm kind of curious about these. I currently have a pair of Active CLR wedges that are out of this world but I think they're overkill for my needs. I'm a home player and I've been considering downsizing mostly to free up some coin for some other purchases.
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I've had the exact same thought that you have. I love my Atomic FRFR cabs, but when I get them back after repair, I may keep one and sell the other, or just sell them both and get a CLR or a single nice stage monitor. I do play live on occasion, but its 3-4 times a year.
 
Phostenix said:
I really want to get a set of those, but my main use for them is to take to rehearsal or jam session type stuff & I'm afraid they will get damaged in transit. I'm still leaning toward the Mackie DLM8, but I'm sure the Equators are better sounding monitors.
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If you want to jam with a band, I wouldn't get nearfield monitors. They're designed to sound best up close, maybe 3-7 feet away.
 
I have their older cousin, the Q8. Nice speaker. Unlike the OP, I don't prefer it to the CLR but it works well.
 
This is really, REALLY good to know ..., my 'space' isn't that big, so I'm going to start w/ a pair of D5's ....

But ..., what I really want is one D8 and a pair of D5's for a W/D/W system !
 
I think I'm getting the d5's in the near future. How do they hold if you're trying to mix?
 
I haven't mixed with the D8s yet, still getting them broken in, but reviews I've read (mostly of the D5s, since the D8s are relatively new) say that they're fantastic for mixing.

One thing I have noticed, and this may be more in reference to the Atomic tube FRFR, I've had to adjust my presets that I used with the Atomics. The Atomics are very bass-heavy and the Low Freq. Resonance setting in recent firmwares had made my overall tone very boomy on certain patches. To fix this, I would crank the Low Freq Resonance down. This seemed to work better than turning down the low frequencies, putting in EQ, etc. With the Equators, I can crank the Low Freq. Resonance up and it doesn't make my sound boomy at all. It adds a lot of 3-dimensionality to my tone.
 
It's just sad that european customers pay literally 30% more than US customers. I think they are really hurting their market with this policy.

It's just not right that I have to pay 450€ for a pair of D5's when the direct price is only 400$.
 
I love my Equator Q10's. Massive sound. They are not near fields but great midfields. Wow what sweet stereo imaging. Mine are a good 15' apart and fill my room.
 
Has anyone used the D8's and the powered CLR? At lower volumes is there a big difference that you can notice?
 
I would never gig or jam with my D8's. They're near/mid-field recording/mixing monitors. They're not built for the sonic abuse of gigging or jamming. That said, I am amazed how good they are for the money. I still have my Genelecs, and haven't done enough mixing to say definitively, but early results are that they probably produce a better mix - and that's their purpose. That said, I still hear some details on the gennies that I don't on the D8's - but they were literally 4 times the price. D8's have a great 'price-performance;' ratio.

Incidentally, my room is not big, 15X15, but I wanted the 8's, not the 5's, for a better bass response (the only real problem with my Gennies is a crappy bass response on their 6" woofers).
 
Yep, I think the fact that Equator sells direct and doesn't involve a middleman, they can, excuse the cliche, "pass the savings onto you". They're a newish company and don't have the name recognition of more established brands, but that will surely change in time.
 
Sorry to dig up this old thread. But I've been toying with upgrading my KRK Rokit G2 8's to Equator D8's. Wondering if anyone has directly compared the two and if the difference is worth it when using them mostly with the Axe II?
 
AZG said:
Sorry to dig up this old thread. But I've been toying with upgrading my KRK Rokit G2 8's to Equator D8's. Wondering if anyone has directly compared the two and if the difference is worth it when using them mostly with the Axe II?
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Just pointing out that the OP had tried the KRK 5" and didn't like how they sounded.
 
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